Union: Expect Catholic teachers strike during pope visit

A union official says teachers at 10 New YorkCity-area Roman Catholic high schools are poised to strike duringPope Benedict XVI's visit to the city next week.

Lay Faculty Association spokesman Henry Kielkucki says the unionmade no progress in contract negotiations Thursday with theArchdiocese of New York. A spokesman for the archdiocese did notimmediately return telephone messages left at his office and homeThursday night.

Kielkucki declined to specify when a strike might start. But hesaid it would likely extend into the pope's visit, scheduled forApril 18 to 20.

The union represents about 450 teachers at a total of 10 schoolsin the city and northern suburbs. The teachers' contract expired inAugust 2007.

The union and archdiocese have been at odds over wages, healthcare and pensions.